Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-019-00936-y ORIGINAL PAPER The first archaeometric characterization of obsidian artifacts from the archaeological site of Samshvilde (South Georgia, Caucasus) M. F. La Russa1,2 & L. Randazzo1 & M. Ricca1 & N. Rovella1 & D. Barca1 & S.A. Ruffolo1 & D Berikashvili3 & L. Kvakhadze4 Received: 12 July 2019 /Accepted: 3 September 2019 # Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2019 Abstract This paper presents the first results about the provenance of obsidian fragments recovered in the archaeological site of Samshvilde (South Georgia, Caucasus) with the aim to obtain knowledge related to the network distribution and procurement of obsidian in Georgia. The geochemical characterization of thirty archaeological finds was obtained by the LA-ICP-MS method, an almost non-destructive technique capable of chemically characterizing the volcanic glass. A comparison of geochemical results obtained on both archaeological artefacts and geological samples collected from Chikiani outcrop in Georgia, together with literature data of southern Caucasus and eastern Turkey, allowed us to define the source of the archaeological obsidians of Samshvilde site. The majority of archaeological samples (28/30) shows a local provenance, precisely from Chikiani (Georgia) on the contrary the other two samples suggest a provenance from two different Armenian sources respectively Gegham and Akhurian volcanic system. Keywords Obsidian . Trace elements . LA-ICP-MS . Samshvilde . Georgia Introduction and archaeological background structures were located, by a 12 m high and 7 m wide fortifi- cation wall, forming a citadel. Such heavily fortified well- Samshvilde is an archaeological complex situated in Kvemo preserved defensive systems are characterized only for most Kartli province, in the southern-central part of Georgia. It important sites in the southern Caucasus. occupies a long basalt cape that rises above the confluence Georgian historic tradition associates the foundation of of two important rivers—the Khrami and Chivchava Samshvilde with the Hellenistic period, while current archae- (Fig. 1). The medieval city covered the entire length of the ological project has detected proof of occupation dating back cape, and its layout was arranged according to the occupations to the Neolithic times. Anyway, it is recognized that and status of the population: the western part of the city, which Samshvilde was founded as an urban political-economic cen- may has been the residential area of the lower classes, was ter only in the early medieval period, in particular, during the separated from the central part where nobles resided by a 4 m fifth–sixth centuries (Sanadze 2016). high and 2.5 m wide stone wall. The central district was sep- As the Arabs appeared in Transcaucasia during the mid- arated from the easternmost part of the city, where high-status eighth century, a substantial part of eastern Georgia, including Samshvilde, was placed under the jurisdiction of the Arab Emir. This arrangement continued until the mid-ninth century * L. Randazzo [email protected] when the region fell under influence of the Armenian royal Bagratuni dynasty of Shirak. In the tenth century, Samshvilde 1 was the capital of the Armenian Kingdom of Tashir-Dzoraget, Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of which was a vassal of the Kingdom of Ani. From the second Calabria, Via P. Bucci Cubo 12B, Arcavacata di Rende 87036, Italy 2 half of the eleventh century Samshvilde was under the influ- Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, National Research ence of Seljuk Turks, and this continued until 1110, when it Council, Via Gobetti 101, 40129 Bologna, Italy 3 was liberated by King of Georgia - David IV (the Builder) and Department of Archaeology, Anthropology and Art of the University placed under the jurisdiction of the Georgian State. of Georgia, Kostava st. 77a., 0171 Tbilisi, Georgia 4 VariousGeorgianfeudalfamiliescontrolledSamshvildein International Archaeological Centre of the University of Georgia, the late medieval and post-medieval period. First, the Kostavas st. 77a., 0171 Tbilisi, Georgia Archaeol Anthropol Sci Fig. 1 a Georgia schematic map with indication of the archaeological site of Samshvilde (red circle). b–d panoramic view of the site influence of the Orbeli family was dominant and later the Excavations of 6 archaeological trenches (5 × 5 m each, no. Baratashvili-Kaplanishvili, whose tenure continued up to the 59, no. 60, no. 66, no. 67, no. 68, no. 69) at the citadel have so seventh–eighteenth centuries. In the second half of the eigh- far unearthed archaeological deposits of 1.3 m depth belong- teenth century, the ethnic situation in Samshvilde and Kvemo ing to the high-late medieval centuries (eleventh–thirteenth Kartli in general changed significantly. From the beginning of centuries). The archaeological deposits of this period overlap the nineteenth century, Turkish-speaking populations, Islamic and pre-Islamic archaeological contexts, but on the Germans (1818) and Greeks (1829) were settled in this region other hand, they also are overlapped by the deposits of by the Russian Imperial government. Ottoman periods. The archaeological finds fully correspond Samshvilde is a complex and multicultural archaeological the mentioned historical periods and give a clear understand- site. It is perhaps surprising, therefore, that this site has never ing for the stratigraphy of the site. It is noteworthy, that in before been the subject of a full-scale archaeological and in- 2018 an archaeological context (trench no. 68, Context 21) terdisciplinary investigation. Only small-scale fieldwork was representing pit-burials have been explored under the men- carried out during the Soviet and post-Soviet period which did tioned historical deposits. According to the black polished not provide details on the site’s stratigraphy and chronology or fragments of pottery decorated with various geometric motifs, on the distribution of cultural features and monuments. the date of the burial is defined as Late Bronze-Early Iron Age The Samshvilde Archaeological Expedition of the and goes back to the thirteenth–twelfth centuries B.C. University of Georgia, which has so far conducted six seasons This type of pottery is well known for Late Bronze-Early of fieldwork from 2013 to 2018, is working to redress this Iron age sites of Eastern Georgia, such as Tskhinvalis situation. By adopting a variety of approaches to the archaeo- Natsargora, Satsikhuris Gora, Treligorebi, Dmanisi, Tsiteli logical remains at Samshvilde and its surroundings, new in- Gora, and Madnischalis Cemetery. The discovery of the burial formation on this multi-period complex could be attained. of this period in Samshvilde has a big scientific value, as it is Such comprehensive surveys, involving archaeology, geo- first time in the history of the site. physics, anthropology, palynology, remote sensing, osteology, Artefacts from the citadel trenches are diverse and include and archaeometry are now being conducted in Samshvilde numismatic hoard (eleventh–thirteenth centuries A.D.) (Berikashvili 2017). In particular, excavations have been car- consisting of 285 copper and bronze coins, ceramics, stone, ried out at two locations of the site. The first is inside the main glass, and bone items that date from the high and later medi- fortification wall of the city, namely within the citadel (Fig. 2); eval centuries, as well as the pottery of Late Bronze Age– the other is near the eighth century Sioni Church. Early Iron Age. Archaeol Anthropol Sci archaeological deposits, at 1 m, is lower here compared to the citadel. The date of this layer is assigned to the tenth– eighth centuries on the basis of finds. An initial interpretation of the graves is that they are later and belong to Samshvildian citizens murdered during the invasion of the Turkmen leader, King of Tabriz–Jahan Shah in the fifteenth century. Regarding to this, the valuable information is given in the Armenian Chronicles of Thomas Metsoph: “...After a long-term siege Samshvilde was seized by the Turkmen Shah Jahan on the Easter day in 1440 and he punished the local population se- verely: “… The entire city of Samshvilde was sieged and on the day before Pentecost (Greek. Holiday of descent of the Holy Spirit) Samshvilde was seized by deceit and threats, a minaret was made from heads of 1664 people at the gate of the city and in addition to those who were captured in forests and thickets, another 9400 people were captivated … sixty people and holy souls – priests, clergymen, monks – were slaughtered like sheep at the gate of the city, the head of some of them was chopped into four parts, the head of others was smashed and some of them were forced to give up their confession and were killed….” (Thomas of Metsoph 1987). Important results were gained from the test trenches on the same area, where obsidian and flint tools were discovered. Forms include scrapers, burins, points, arrowheads, and notched sickle blades, attributed to the final stage of the Caucasian Neolithic and chronologically placed within the Tsopa culture of Kvemo Kartli (8–6 millennia B.C.) (Berikashvili and Grigolia 2018). The discovery of Neolithic tools in the site is a significant novelty and raises the prospect of identifying more extensive prehistoric deposits here. The oldest artefacts come from the lowest stratigraphic contexts and are composed of opaque and semi-transparent black obsidian, flint, and argillite tools. The major part of this assemblage is composed of short, wide flakes fragments of different shape. Different forms of scrapers are well preserved in this complex: end scrapers, side scrapers, and thumbnail scrapers being the most common. Micronuclei, drills, cutting tools, arrowheads, and various la- mellas are also represented here (Fig. 3). The end-retouched scraper is represented by eight pieces in Samshvilde complex. All of them are formed on rough fragments and flakes and the retouched work section of each of them is arranged at the end of the tool. Only two tools have the typical form common for the end-retouched scraper.